After deliberating for nearly five hours the jury, made up of eight women and four men, returned a not guilty verdict at Caernarfon crown court.

After the verdict Mr Brown, 37, of Strand Crescent in Holywell, went outside and embraced members of his family, wiping tears from his eyes with a white handkerchief.

Members of Mr Green’s family had sat in the public gallery throughout the three day hearing alongside members of Mr Brown’s family.

Addressing the family the judge, Her Honour Gaynor Lloyd, said: “This has been a very difficult trial for you and I wish to thank you for the way you have conducted yourself this week.”

The jury heard details and watched CCTV footage of the incident which happened at Ffynnongroyw near Prestatyn on June 22 last year.

The court heard Mr Green, 39, was one of four men working a bin lorry operated by Flintshire Council collecting domestic waste in Ffynnongroyw.

It was stationary and had its amber warning lights flashing when the coach passed taking children to school, going in the same direction.

Mr Green was ahead of the lorry and crossed the road in front of the 49-seater bus - and although the jury heard Mr Brown applied the brakes immediately he was unable to stop the vehicle before it struck the binman.

Experts agreed the bus was travelling at 28mph approaching the bin lorry and was accelerating past it, reaching a speed of between 32 and 36mph.